Mold board end bit with replaceable tooth



Dec. 1, 1959 E. LAUNDER 2,914,868

MOLD BOARD END BIT WITH REPLACEABLE TOOTH Filed Feb. 28, 1956 (i V 5 6 v 74 v 73 W 7 j 70 73 I N -71 74 .12 42 INVENTOR. Ire/w; l.1i4z/A/0,e

7 Ml/ M United States Patent i MOLD BOARD END BIT WITH REPLACEABLE TOOTH Ernie L. Launder, Montebello, Calif., assignor to H. & L. Tooth Company, Montebello, Califl, a corporation of California Application February 28, 1956, Serial No. 568,380

4 Claims. (Cl. 37-143) This invention has to do with end bit attachments for bulldozers and in particular is concernedwith a structure that is easily and quickly applied to the lower portion of the mold-board of a tractor or bulldozer or like machine.

, Tractors and like machines are adapted to move materials such as earth and for this purpose are provided with apparatus in the form of an attachment that is applied to the machine to precede themachine when moving in a forward direction. Such apparatus is commonly referred to as a bulldozer unit and is adjustable vertically relative to the frame of the machine. The bulldozer unit is movable vertically relativeto the frame of the machine and is restrained against lateral movement and is under control of an operating means provided to raise and lower it. g

The bulldozer unit is ordinarily made up of two primary elements, namely a mold-board and the blade per se. The mold-board is a horizontally extending vertically disposed forwardly faced concave element of substantial height that usually extends transversely across the forward end of the machine to precede it as it moves ahead. The lower edge of the mold-board is straight and carries the 2,914,868 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 tion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 illustrating one of the attachments of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a detailed longitudinal sectional View taken substantially as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 44 on Fig. 3.

In the operation of tractors and like machines, various earth handling implements are employed, one of the most common of these implements being a blade and moldboard combination. A tractor equipped with such a blade and mold-board is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings to b1ade,the blade usually being of heavier cross section than theboard. The blade is subject to general wear and failures, especially at the end portions thereof where the blade becomes rounded and dulled, and this rounding and dulling ofthe blade ends or corners renders the bulldozer less effective and results in erratic and extremely inefiicient operation. For this reason the end portions of the bladesare made separately in the form of end bits and are replaceable in order to renew said corners when they are dulled, Heretoforeno means has been provided to increase the life of the end bits and no means has been provided to improve the cutting characteristics of that portion of the bulldozer unit.

It is a general object of this invention to improve the cutting characteristics of a bulldozer unit and to increase the wearing qualities of the blade ends or bits.

It is also an object of this invention toprovide a bit attachment for a bulldozer blade that has improved weartaking qualities and which eliminates wearing of theend bits or blade ends.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an attachment of the character above referred to that includes a replaceable tooth that does the work and takes the wear at the ends of the blade. The tooth that I provide eliminates the handling of cumbersome fasteners when replacing the wear-taking element and facilitates maintenance of the bulldozer unit so that it can be easily It is an object of this invention to provide bits at the ends of a bulldozerunit whereby improved cutting or which the end bit attachments of the present invention are particularly adapted to be applied. However, it is to be understood that the end bits that I have provided may be employed in any similar machine of the character under consideration.

The present invention involves generally, a tractor type vehicle X, a blade and mold-board Y, and end bit attachments Z at the end of the mold-board Y. The vehicle X is preferably a continuous tread type vehicle having a body 10 carrying a power plant 11, driving facilities 12, and a chassis 13 with spaced parallel .side members 14, wheels 15, and treads 16.

The blade and mold-board Y is a unitary construction or implement adapted to be applied to and carried by the vehicle X for the handling of earth or the like and involves a shiftable frame 17, a blade 18, a mold-board 19, and operating means 20. The frame 17 has a pair of parallel side members 21 pivotally secured at 22 to the side members 14 of the chassis 13. The side members 21 are pivoted on a common axis at the rear ends thereof and are rigidly joined with and carry the blade 18 and mold-board 19 at the forward ends thereof.

The blade 18 is a heavy partof durable material having a downwardly faced sharpened scraping edge 23 along the lower portion thereof and having a forwardly faced side 24 of substantial vertical extent. In practice, the blade 18 may be a straight horizontally disposed part of uniform cross section positioned so that the side 24 pitches downwardly and forwardly as clearly illustrated throughout the drawings.

' The mold-board 19 is a durable part of somewhat lighter gauge material than the blade 18 and is preferably arcuate in cross section. That is, the mold-board 19 is concave as observed from the front side 25 thereof, and

digging of earth and like formations is obtained. By I motions of the machine.

The operating means 20 is provided for adjusting the vertical'position of the blade 18 and mold-board 19 and may be any suitable means. I have indicated such a means as including a cable lift 29 carried by the body 10 of the vehicle X. The cable lift 29 is indicated as being connected to the frame 17 through suitable cables at the forward end portion of the vehicle X,

The end bit Z of the present invention is in the nature of an attachment for blades, primarily bulldozer blades,

, and comprises generally a tooth T carried by a base A and 'involving an adapter B, a cap C, and means D retaining the cap C on the adapter B. The base A forms a continuation of the end portion of the blade 18 and is adapted to carry the adapter B. The adapter B is secured to the base A and includes a portion that depends frointhe base and blade. The cap C is carried on the lower" depending end portion of the adapter B and is held in proper working position by the means D. 'It is to be understood that like attachments Z are provided, one at each end of the blade 18 "in general alignment with the ends27of the mold-board 19, there being right and left hand units of construction. 7 V

The base A is a heavy part of durable material corresponding in'cross section with the blade 13 and forming a Continuation thereof at the end portion of the blade. The base A is shown in the form of an ordinary end bit and has a downwardly faced sharpened scraping edge 33-along-the lower portion thereof and corresponding with the scraping edge 23 of theblade and has a forwardly faced'side 34 of substantial vertical extent corresponding with the side 24 of the blade. Further, the base Ahas a top'horizontally disposed edge 35, and'an inwardly facing end 36 in abutment with the outer end of the blade 18. The base'A has an outer terminal end 37 preferably in a'plane coincidental with the plane of the end 27 and the mold-board 19. The base A, like the blade 18, may be a straight horizontally disposed part of uniform cross section positioned at the end portion of the mold-board 19 to pitch downwardly in the same manner as the blade 18.

As clearly illustrated in the drawings, the blade 18 is secured to the mold-board 19 as by fasteners 28 in the form of bolts held in place by nuts. In a similar manner, the base A, or end bit, is secured to the mold-board 19 as by fasteners 38 in the form of bolts held in place by nuts. As shown, there may be one or more upper and lower fasteners 38 to the end that the base A is securely held in working position and restrained from moving or rocking relative to the mold-board 19.

The tooth T is carried by the mold-board 19 adjacent the end 27 thereof and is preferably attached to or carried by the end bit or base A. It is to be understood, however, that the tooth T may be secured directly to the mold board if so desired. The tooth T is shown as involving a forwardly projecting adapter B with a shank 40 having a substantially flat front face 41 and a tip 42 projecting forward from the face of the shank. The cap C is applied to or over the tip of the shank and the retaining means D in the form of a pin releasably secures the cap in operating position on the tip.

In the preferred form of construction, the shank 40 and tip 42 form a rigid unitary element. The tip is forwardly convergent or tapered and in the form illustrated it involves a fiat forwardly extending top 45, a flat forwardly extending bottom 46, and flat parallel sides 47. The top 45 and bottom 46 converge and come together or terminate at a forward point 49.

The cap C, which is another main part, may vary widely in form and construction, it being preferably aunit which is applied to and which encases the tip 42. In the case illustrated, the cap C involves a top or blade 50 with a forwardly projecting portion having a sharpened edge 51. The blade 50 is arranged over and bears on the top 45 of the tip. Sides 52 depend from the edges of the blade 50 and fit over or against the sides 47 ofthe tip. It is preferred that the sides or cheeks 52 of the cap be made the same size and shape as the sides 47 of the tip to be coextensive therewith, as shown throughout the drawings. A bottom 53 joins or extends between the lower edge portions of the cheeks 52 and bears on or fits against the bottom 46 of the tip.

In practice, the cap C above described is a fabricated element or unit, the bottom and cheeks being formed of a'sheath of material, shaped andbentin the desired manner, and theupper edges of thecheeks 52'are peror the like.

manently or rigidly joined to the blade 50 as by welding, In the drawings, welding material is shown at 55 permanently bonding the cheeks 52 to the blade 50'. In the particular case illustrated, a tongue projects from the rear or inner end of blade 50 and extends into a suitable socket 61 provided in the front face 41 of the shank 40 immediately above the tip 42.

In accordance with theinvention, theteeth T are related to the cutting edge of-the blade 18 and cutting edge of the base A to have a most advantageous digging action. As shown, each tooth T'is'fixed relative to the mold-board 19, preferably to its base A, so that the cap C projects downwardly and forwardly from the lower sharpened edges'23 and- 33 or the blade" and base respectively. Further, itwill be observed that the tooth T is secured to the'base'A so that it is substantially adjacent the end 27 of the mold-board 19 and so that the sharpened edge 51 of the blade 50 is parallel with and spaced downwardly and forwardly from the edges 23 and 33.

In practice, the shank 40 has a rearwardly projecting tongue 65 that overlies the side34 of the base A and which is secured to the base as by welding or the like. It is to be understood that suitable welds may be employed as circumstances require and that recesses 38' may be provided to accommodate the heads of the fasteners 38. The tongue 65 has a forwardly facing side 66 in a plane spaced forwardly from andsubstantially parallel with the plane of the sides 24 and 34 of the blade 18 and base A respectively, and the blade 50 has a forwardly facing side 67 in the plane of the side 66 of the tongue. Thus, the cutting edge 51 of the tooth T precedes the cutting edges 23 and 33'of the blade and base as the vehicle X advances-or moves forward.

The retaining means D serves to releasably retain the cap C on the shank 40. In the case illustrated, the retaining means D includes a retainer 70 having apin portion 71 carried in anopening 72 provided in the shank 40 transversely thereof a suitable distance forward of the front face 41. Heads or enlargements 73 provided on the ends of the pin 70 are-seated in openings 74provided in the cheeks 52 of'the cap. In the caseillustrated, the retainer 76 formed by the pin portion 71 and the heads 73 is an elongate structure and it is-splitlongitudinally into two like sections between which there is a flat, resilient insert 75 which may be formed-of rubber, or-the like. In practice, the rubber" 75 is bonded to the like sections of the-retainer. Whenthisform of retainer is employed, the openings'74 in the cheeks are made elongate in a direction lengthwise of the cap, and the opening 72 through the shank is madelarge enough to pass a head 73 of the retainer.

When the retainer 70-is in place, the plane of the'flat insert 75is vertically disposed (as shown) and the pin portion 71-be'ars against the forward side of the opening 72 in the-shank while-the heads 73 bear against'the rear sides of the openings 74 in the cheeks. As a result of this construction, the retainer 70, which is subject to being formed or driven into and out of operating position, is locked in place by reason of the heads engaging the 'sides 47 of the shank, while at the same time it yieldingly urges the cap C rearwardly onto the shank 40 so'that'the cap is maintained tight on the tip 41 of the shank.

Fromthe'foregoing, it will be readily apparent that I have provided an-extremely effective attachment for bulldozers-or the like. The attachment Z of the presentin vention notonly eliminates wear at the corners of the blade or end bit per se, but improves the digging characteristics of the bulldozer unit in general. That is, the tooth T that projects downwardly and forwardly from the cutting edge 23 0f the blade 'l 'presents a sharp tooth point or cuttinged'ge' 5-1 at a'lower plane thanthe edge 23' and in-advance of thecutting edges 23 :and 33 of .the unit.- Since theteeth Tare positioned adjacentthe ends 27 of the mold-board 19, the'teethactto breakiground and cut a furrow or curb at the ends of the mold board or at the sides of the vehicle X to the end that earth is more easily removed from the surrounding earth formation. The teeth that project forwardly also provide a projection suitable for the lifting of large objects, such as boulders, when the occasion arises. Further, and an important feature of this invention, is that the entire end bit need not beunbolted and replaced since the caps of the teeth T are easily and quickly replaceable to the end that the bulldozer unit is economically maintained in top operating condition.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. An earth moving structure comprising: a laterally elongated generally vertically disposed mold-board; a

forwardly and downwardly sloping scraper blade disposed along the lower margin of said mold-board; a tooth at a lateral extremity of said mold-board and scraper blade, said tooth projecting forwardly of said scraper blade and terminating in a chisel point, the upper surface of said tooth sloping forwardly and downwardly at a lesser angle to the horizontal than said scraper blade, said tooth adapted to penetrate formation ahead of said scraper blade to disrupt and loosen the formation thereby to reduce the load imposed at the extreme lateral end of said mold-board and scraper blade.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 including, a support base removably secured to said lateral extremity of said blade, an adapter comprising a boss secured to said support base and extending forwardly therefrom, said tooth being removably secured to the forward portion of said boss.

3. The combination with a bulldozer having a laterally elongated bulldozer blade, the lower margin of which slopes downwardly and forwardly at a steep angle to form a scraping edge, of a tooth structure disposed at each lateral extreme corner of said blade, said tooth structure having forwardly converging upper and lower sides terminating in a chisel point located at approximately the level of the scraping edge of said blade and forwardly thereof, the upper side of each tooth sloping downwardly and forwardly at a substantially lesser angle than the lower margin of said blade.

4. The combination with a bulldozer having a laterally elongated bulldozer blade, the lower margin of which slopes downwardly and forwardly at a steep angle to form a scraping edge, of a tooth structure disposed at each lateral extreme corner of said blade, said tooth structure having forwardly converging upper and lower sides terminating in a chisel point, and extending forwardly of said blade, the upper side of each tooth sloping downwardly and forwardly at a substantially lesser angle than the lower margin of said blade, whereby said tooth penetrates into the earth ahead of said blade and exerts an upwardly applied force thereon to disrupt and loosen the earth ahead of said blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,092,311 Hosmer et a1 Sept. 7, 1937 2,251,487 Hosmer et al Aug. 5, 1941 2,281,928 Fletcher May 5, 1942 2,297,677 Forte Oct. 6, 1942 2,322,432 Forte June 22, 1943 2,568,075 Launder Sept. 18, 1951 2,718,075 Mac Leod et a1 Sept. 20, 1955 2,732,639 Lillengreen Jan. 31, 1956 

